Jahiem Barnwell inspires GTI to dramatic Titan Bowl U18 title

Jahiem Barnwell delivered a monumental performance to lead the Government Technical Institute (GTI) to a nail-biting 84-82 victory over St Stanislaus College in a pulsating Boys’ Under-18 final at the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) Titan Bowl XIV Championship.

The tournament, which concluded on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, saw champions crowned across three fiercely contested divisions, but none delivered drama quite like the U18 showdown.

In a finale that went right down to the wire, GTI secured the Boys’ Under-18 crown by holding off a spirited St Stanislaus challenge.

The victory was powered mainly by the sensational play of Barnwell, who was deservedly named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after registering a colossal stat line of 27 points and 22 rebounds. His dominance on the boards proved decisive in the frantic closing moments.

Barnwell was well supported by Kyrell Butters, who added 19 points and five rebounds, while Sean Duncan matched Barnwell’s intensity in the paint, posting 10 points and an impressive 22 rebounds. Alwyn Adams also chipped in with 10 points and four steals.

St Stanislaus was led by a defiant Daniel Chisholm, who finished with a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds, alongside 16 points from Kadeem Beckles and 13 points from Demitri Crandon in a valiant, but ultimately unsuccessful, effort.

The Girls’ D final proved to be the most one-sided affair of the championship, as Kwakwani Secondary delivered a commanding performance to crush President’s College (PC) 31-7 and claim the divisional title.

Teenager Brianna Benjamin was the architect of the rout, earning the MVP award after a comprehensive double-double of 14 points, 13 rebounds, alongside four assists and four steals.

She was partnered effectively by Lanasha Mohamed, who added 15 points and four rebounds as Kwakwani displayed total superiority. Kaycia McLaggen led the scoring for President’s College with four points.

In the Boys’ Under-14 final, President’s College managed to overcome Marian Academy in a tightly contested 32-27 battle.

Terron Mohabir was the standout performer for the champions, securing the MVP honours with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. Josiah George contributed five points and five rebounds to help PC seal the title.

Marian Academy’s charge was spearheaded by Lucas Pinol (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Nehemiah Francois (8 points), but PC’s disciplined defence was enough to keep them ahead.

The successful Titan Bowl XIV championship, which highlighted the depth of youth basketball talent across Guyana, was made possible by the support of sponsors including Francis-Lau Boyce, Banks DIH, ENET, and Newrest.